Author: drcowinj

Dr. Jasmin (Bey) Cowin, an Associate Professor at Touro University, received the 2024 Touro University CETL Faculty Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching and the Rockefeller Institute of Government awarded her the prestigious Richard P. Nathan Public Policy Fellowship (2024-2025). As a Fulbright Scholar and SIT Graduate, she was selected to be a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist. Her expertise in AI in education is underscored by her role as an AI trainer and former Education Policy Fellow (EPFP™) at Columbia University's Teachers College. As a columnist for Stankevicius, she explores Nicomachean Ethics at the intersection of AI and education. She has contributed to initiatives like Computers for Schools Burundi, served as a resource specialist for Amity University in Uttar Pradesh, India, and participated in TESOL "Train the Trainer" programs in Yemen and Morocco. Her research interests include simulations and metaverse for educators-in-training, AI applications in education and language acquisition and teaching, and distributed ledger technologies, with a focus on her 'Education for 2060' theme. In conclusion, my commitment extends beyond transactional interactions, focusing instead on utilizing my skills and privileges to make a positive, enduring impact on the world.

The Rotary Club of New York Fellowship at the Monarch Rooftop

It was my pleasure as President of the New York Rotary Club to have such a well-attended, first event. Rotary Fellowship is a unifying principle of our Rotarian values. In short #RotariansRock!

Rotary Club of New York Presidential Assistant Internship for ROTARCT Member

Source: Rotary Club of New York Presidential Assistant Internship for ROTARCT Member

Rotary Club of New York Presidential Assistant Internship for ROTARCT Member

Unpaid Internship in New York, New York

Unpaid Internship Application Call for Active 21 year + old ROTARACTORS (duration approximately 10 weeks)

For the position of

Executive Assistant

to the President of the Rotary Club of New York

Host Club #6

Internship Opportunity 1: September 9th – October 7th, 2017
Internship Opportunity 2: October 14th – December 14th, 2017
Internship Opportunity 3: January 13th – March 10th, 2018
Internship Opportunity 4: March 31st – June 2nd, 2018

What you can do:
You speak and write English at C+ level (Common European Framework)
You are a people person who likes to make connections and follows up on conversations
You thrive with Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram
You enjoy taking photos and can use a photo editing instrument to post Rotary Club of New York event photos
You use Excel, Word, PP, Google docs, and collaborative tools
You are a self-starter, motivated and embody the Spirit of Rotary

Your Responsibilities:
Setting up of an Interact Club at a Private School and guiding the Interact student group through the applications process and service projects as their lead advisor
Function as the Executive Assistant to the President
Database creation and management
Be the liaison between the Chair of Service above Self and hands-on New York Service Projects
Assist in the President’s Initiative ‘Rotary means Business” by working with the Chair of the Business Initiative
Update RCNY’s PeopleMovers presence daily
Assist in Service Projects
Attend all lunch meetings and the International Breakfast meeting at the United Nations which is streamed live on Facebook with more than 5000 viewers

What the Rotary Club of New York offers:
Free monthly train and Metro ticket
Training and access to New York Executives, Diplomats, and UN personnel
A lot of work!
Private room at a Rotarian’s home (weekly charge is $120, includes breakfast, internet access, laundry and family style support as much or as little as you want). The home is 35 minutes by train from Grand Central. You can walk to Tarrytown and the train station. Please note that there are a 15-year-old boy and a small dog in the home.
All events such as luncheons and International Breakfasts are paid by the RCNY

You must follow the link and complete this exercise: Can you find the Rotary Club of New York on PeopleMovers?

RCNY cannot cover your flight, travel/health insurance, and personal expenses.

Send your resume and interest statement to dr.jcowinrotaryny@gmail.com

Please indicate in the subject line: RCNY Internship and dates you are interested in.

Swiss-Russian import of Medical Products Policy Memo by International Affairs Student Eugene Kolesnikov

Here an excellent policy memo which grew out of my International Affairs Class at EF – Education First.

Policy Memo

To: Dr. Jasmin B. Cowin, International Affairs class

From: Eugene Kolesnikov

RE: Swiss-Russian import of medical products policy

Current situation in Russian-Swiss relations

The Russian-Swiss Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was established in January 1994. In July 2009, with the support of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a business council on cooperation with Switzerland was established.[3]

Nowadays, the state of Russian-Swiss relations is characterized by positive dynamics, having continuous support from political dialogue at the highest levels.[3]

Russia is a priority country of Swiss foreign policy. The two countries share many interests. As a member of the UN Security Council and the G-20, Russia is a major international player. Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2007, bilateral relations have developed significantly. The MoU defines the framework for systematic and closer cooperation in the areas of:

Foreign policy and security;

Justice, police, and migration;

Economics and science;

Education and cultural affairs.

Representatives of both foreign ministries meet regularly for consultations. There are close contacts at the parliamentary level too, with active parliamentary friendships groups in both countries. Since 2009, Switzerland has represented Russia’s interests in Georgia and Georgia’s interests in Russia, after the two countries broke off diplomatic relations.[2]

At the same time, the ties linking the business communities of both states are expanding and strengthening. It is quite evident from a large number of bilateral events such as meetings, forums, and conferences held at the trade mission level. Such events have already become traditional and are usually held in an atmosphere of mutual respect and desire to expand the frontiers of bilateral partnership.[3]

Russia’s exports to Switzerland primarily consist of minerals (50.5 percent), gemstones and precious metals (38.7 percent), chemical products (6.3 percent) and metals and metal products (2.5 percent). Imports from Switzerland include cars, equipment and vehicles (42.1 percent), chemicals (33.0 percent), food and agricultural raw materials (9.6 percent) and other products, mainly watches (9.0 percent), metals and metal goods (3.7 percent).[1]

Major Swiss investors in Russia include Nestlé (food industry), Asea Brown Boveri (high-voltage and low-voltage equipment for industrial production, construction, housing, and utilities) and Schindler (elevators and escalators). Over 600 companies with Swiss capital are registered in Russia. Some major Russian investors in Switzerland include the Renova Group, Rusal, and the SUAL Group.[1]

Currently, more than 600 companies with Swiss capital are operating in Russia, on the other hand, many Russian companies are working on the Swiss market. However, the volume of bilateral trade has been constantly growing, and this suggests that the potential for bilateral cooperation is far from exhausted. Russia and Switzerland are also brought together by a number of major investment projects, designed to be implemented in the years to come.[3]

First of all, we are talking about projects in such important spheres as science-intensive high-tech industries including energy, space, medicine, nuclear and IT-technology. In particular, the most well-known and highly advocated bilateral projects deal with innovation and nanotechnology issues.[3]

In the last several years experts observe increased imports to Russia of Swiss machinery and equipment, electronic goods, which is encouraged by the economic growth and stable demand on the Russian market.[3]

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated due to the crisis in Ukraine. In late July, the EU and the US moved from targeted sanctions against specific individuals and companies toward measures against whole sectors of the Russian economy. Switzerland did not join the EU sanctions.[1]

Russian’s Ban on Medical Imports

Medvedev told Russian journalists a suggested bill to restrict imported medical devices and supplies would not be supported by his government unless treatment quality for patients could be maintained.[4]

The list of items suggested for the ban included everything from X-ray machines, defibrillators, incubators for newborns and prosthetic devices to crutches, bandages, and condoms.[4]

Russia’s medical community criticized the proposal for failing to first consult doctors and medical experts as Russian producers can not make the same quality of products or do not make them at all.[4]

Russia’s “import substitution” policy aims to encourage Russia’s domestic producers to develop supplies for markets now dependent on foreign imports. It was accelerated after western sanctions were put in place following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in neighboring Ukraine in 2014.[4]

Although the Ban on Medical Imports is not accepted yet, there is a positive dynamics in this direction, which indicates that it can happen in the nearest future. Before it happens, Russia has to be prepared for such a drastic change.

Proposal

Russia is a large market with great potential for Swiss companies. Switzerland is committed to creating optimal conditions for Swiss businesses and has an action plan on developing economic relations to achieve this. A bilateral mixed economic commission meets on an annual basis. The Swiss Business Hub, which is integrated within the Swiss embassy, advises Swiss companies intending to enter the Russian market and promotes Switzerland as a business location.[2]

According to Russian laws “Goods are considered to be of Russian origin if they are made or have been sufficiently processed in the country according to customs regulations that are applicable in Russia. A supplier is considered Russian if it is a legal entity registered in Russia (which can be fully foreign-owned, except in cases of specifically regulated sectors, such as media) or a Russian citizen.”[5]

Taking into consideration these two facts and the necessity of developing the Russian sector of medicine, I propose such Swiss companies like Novartis (Sandoz), Hoffmann-La Roche, Basilea Pharmaceutica, Actelion and Straumann to create assembly factories on the territory of Russia and, therefore, to gain a foothold in the Russian market.

Both Switzerland and Russia will benefit from it, which means that it is a win-win proposal:

Switzerland: Swiss pharmaceutical industry will be expanded to Russian territory and, therefore, bring more profit and improve international relations between countries;

Russia: not mentioning the increase in the number of workplaces, Russia will improve the quality of the medical product which will allow Russia to finally accept the Ban on Medical Imports and not to depend on other countries in the field of medicine. Moreover, the Russian government will increase its budget with the taxes from new pharmaceutical companies.

REFERENCES

[1] Sputnik, “Russian-Swiss Relations: Facts and Details”, 8 Dec 2014,

http://sptnkne.ws/dVkD.

[2] FDFA,“BilateralrelationsSwitzerland–Russia”, 8 Apr 2016,

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/representations-and-travel-advice/russia/ switzerland-russia.html.

[3] MiroshnichenkoV., “Russian-Swisstraderelations”, Business Mir #22, Aug 2012,

http://www.businessmir.ch/?p=159596&language=en.

[4] VoaNews, “Russia’s PM Halts Ban on Medical Imports”, 3 Sep 2015,

http://www.voanews.com/a/ russia-pm-halts-ban-on-medical-imports/2944103.html.

[5] GoncharoffP., “AsTrumpPushes’MadeinUSA’, PutinPromotes Products ’Made

in Russia’”, 16 Jan 2017, http://russia-insider.com/en/business/ri18556.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs

CC BY-NC-ND

Posted 28th March by Eugene Kolesnikov

A Celebration of the World Chaine Day

EF Unversity Preparation Grammar Fair

Pedagogy: David A. Kolb – experiential learning.

David A. Kolb’s model of experiential learning can be found in many discussions of the theory and practice of adult education, informal education, and lifelong learning. Much of the literature on experiential learning, as Peter Jarvis comments (1995: 75), ‘is actually about learning from primary experience, that is learning through sense experiences’.

The learning in this project with the Grammar Fair is geared towards students “creating” a teaching tool from scratch without technology. Here the learning process begins first with deep-diving into Grammar research to be able to teach the Grammar point. Students use the FUMP model: Form, Use, Meaning, and Presentation. Then, students create a trifold with the prime examples and teaching points. The trifolds get showcased at the school-wide Grammar Fair where students now present and peer teach other students adding to free L2 use in an authentic situation.